I ordered Strike snap seed from Willhite yesterday on a whim and will try to remember to report my results here later this coming summer. If they produce as well as the u-tubes demonstrate and are tender and not stringy I'll be happy. Please continue to post results here, thx

I've never grown Strike but it looks like it might be a good one with heavy yields Most if not all common beans are open pollinated so yes you can save seeds and they will grow true if grown in isolation from other beans.

I’ve grown Strike beans for many years and although I liked the production of it there are many similar varieties. In a few years when I grew Strike and Bronco together I preferred Bronco. Last year I stopped growing Strike and I probably will not seek to grow it again. There are many newer varieties that have good production and long, straight, tender, dark green and tasty beans.

I also like Bronco which is also an Asgrow introduction of the 80's. Excellent yield and good size and flavor.

My favorite would be Top Crop bush bean. I was using 30-40 year old seed as well, so there's that. I'm interested to see how your Strike beans do. I'd love to try them if you have a good experience with them this coming year. Love green beans!

Thx for all the snaps feedback and I will let you know my results by July.

Barrie, if you don't mind me asking, what was the difference between Strike and Bronco that tipped you in favor of Bronco? Thx

Sorry Vg but I don’t have those older notes on comparison but I thought that Bronco plants held beans off the ground better and had slightly darker green bean. Strike yield had always been very good so you won’t go wrong in planting it.

For beans the variety choice is more of a personal one. Lately I’ve tried 5-6 varieties each year with one or two new varieties and I found that a variety that I believe is better one year may not perform as well in another year. But color and uniform straight beans are traits that you can count on to be repeated.

Bronco plants held beans off the ground

Thx Barrie, I always plant my bush beans in one looong straight row and put short stakes every 5' on both sides of the row with lines of twine between them, This adds support as the heavy weight bearing plants grow up. It's a bit more work, less than an hour, but makes a big difference esp when storms hit which would flatten the plants in the midst of producing. Generally I get 3-4 pickings before they're done.

I grow a 12' row and don't bother to support them. Usually they are ok, but this year we had some heavy rains and the beans got muddy. I didn't care that much (for myself) - it just meant that I had to wash them thoroughly (which I do anyway), but picking them to give away was a lot more of a pain, as I didn't want to give away dirty beans!!!

I always grow Provider. Taste is excellent and I usually get two crops.

Linda

Update :

Just had to dredge up this thread to report that my Strike beans are going gang busters again this year, leftover seed from Willhite looked @ 99% germ and after just 2 pickings of one row ~40' long we're done canning and freezing. I haven't forgotten about Bronco seed, just need to run low on Strike first. The beans are producing like crazy even with some storms that blew them away, or would have without the twine support.